PAKISTAN FOOD PRICES GO UP ASTRONOMICALLY

PAKISTAN’S WORSENING FOOD CRISIS TRIGGERS PUBLIC OUTRAGE

• Pakistan’s worsening food crisis has triggered public outrage as essential items become increasingly unaffordable.
• According to reports, wheat – a staple food for most households – has seen prices rise between 30% and 50% within a month.
• The sudden jump in food prices stems from a widening gap between demand and supply, which leaves millions to struggle in affording daily essentials.
• The overall Consumer Price Index (CPI) also rose 5.6% year-on-year in September 2025, reflecting deepening inflationary pressures.

HOUSEHOLDS CUT BACK ON BASIC FOODS

• The huge rise in prices has forced Pakistani families to cut down on key nutritional items such as meat and tomatoes, further shrinking dietary diversity.
• With high living costs and limited job opportunities, the rising food inflation has made the daily struggle of common citizens even worse.
• According to experts, the inflation rate could soon exceed the projections made by the Islamabad government and the State Bank of Pakistan (SPB), suggesting that official estimates may be too optimistic.

PUBLIC FURY AND POLITICAL FALLOUT

• Citizens have expressed growing frustration over the government’s inability to control inflation.
• While Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb recently reiterated the government’s “commitment to price stability,” people allege that these measures are symbolic and ineffective.
• Many accuse authorities of failing to prevent hoarding and overcharging by traders.
• Protests and public outrage have intensified, which reflects deep dissatisfaction with the government’s handling of the crisis.

FLOODS AND STRUCTURAL WEAKNESS DEEPEN CRISIS

• The Islamabad government has blamed the recent devastating floods for disrupting agricultural output and supply chains.
• These floods have destroyed large parts of farmland, leading to shortages and price spikes in key food commodities.
• According to economists, Pakistan’s economic stagnation, coupled with structural weaknesses in agriculture and governance, has intensified the crisis.
• The World Bank has forecast a slow 2.6% growth in GDP for 2025-2026 – a clear sign that recovery remains distant.

Editor’s Note

• Pakistan stands at a critical crossroads where inflation is not just an economic metric but a humanitarian alarm. The spiralling cost of food has stripped dignity from daily life — turning the simple act of eating into a struggle for millions. While officials cite floods, supply gaps, and global pressures, the anguish of ordinary citizens paints a harsher reality: governance failures and systemic neglect have deepened their wounds. The crisis is no longer confined to markets and statistics; it is unfolding on kitchen tables, where families are forced to choose between hunger and hope. Unless urgent, transparent reforms follow, Pakistan risks not just economic instability — but a profound social fracture.
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